Senior Staff Accountant

Company Overview

Agility Retail supports retail brands through a mix of manufacturing, fixtures, installation and related services. We work with retailers and consumer brands across North America to design, engineer, manufacture, source and install custom store fixtures, millwork, decor and point-of-purchase displays.

From individual store projects to large-scale national rollouts, our teams help customers create engaging, functional retail spaces

The Job Summary

We are looking for a sharp, curious Senior Staff Accountant who can think logically, work independently and take a problem from question to resolution. This person will primarily support our manufacturing business units, with hands-on responsibility for monthly close, financial reporting and working through the accounting issues that come with running a business. You will not be handed a perfect playbook.

We need someone who is comfortable asking good questions, using sound judgment, digging into the details and following through even when the first answer or approach does not work.

Experience counts, but how you think and work matters most. We value accountability, practical judgment, integrity, and adaptability over an impressive resume alone.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

· Own assigned divisional month-end close activities, including journal entries, accruals, balance sheet reconciliations, cutoff and follow-up on open items.

· Prepare and explain monthly financial packages, including actual-to-budget and prior-year variances; identify what changed, why it changed and what needs attention.

· Investigate unusual balances, margin changes and accounting issues; work with division teams to get to the root cause instead of stopping at a temporary fix.

· Support manufacturing accounting, including inventory, WIP, COGS, production variances and review of costs related to bills of materials (BOMs) and routings.

· Partner with operations and divisional leaders, communicate findings clearly and participate in financial review meetings.

· Serve as the primary point of contact for day-to-day employee questions and issues, escalating matters to the Controller when appropriate.

· Help improve reconciliations, close checklists, reporting workbooks and other processes as our systems and operations evolve.

What Will Make You Successful

· You are quick to connect the dots, but careful enough to validate the facts before reaching a conclusion.

· You take ownership: when something does not reconcile, you investigate, explain the issue and recommend a practical next step.

· You are resourceful and persistent. Ambiguity, a new system or resistance to change does not stop you from making progress.

· You can work with minimal day-to-day direction and know when an issue is material enough to escalate.

· You communicate directly and respectfully, can explain financial results in plain language and are comfortable working with non-accountants.

· You are open to feedback, willing to learn and focused on making the process better rather than defending how it has always been done.

Experience & Skills

· Solid accounting fundamentals and experience with month-end close, reconciliations, journal entries and financial statement analysis are important; roughly 3 – 5 years of relevant experience is a useful guide, not an automatic cutoff.

· A degree in Accounting, Finance or a related field and a CPA are preferred, not required.

· Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with large or datasets; comfort learning ERP and accounting systems.

· Manufacturing or cost accounting experience, including BOMs, inventory valuation, WIP and production costing, is a strong plus.

· Experience providing guidance or reviewing others’ work is helpful; formal people-management experience is not essential.

Work Environment

Hybrid. Chicago-area position in general office environment, especially during onboarding with occasional travel to divisions during inventory counts and key operational reviews. Some additional hours may be needed during close.

Pay: From $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience:

• Accounting: 3 years (Preferred)

Location:

• Chicago, IL 60656 (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Chicago, IL 60656 (Preferred)

Work Location: In person